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Her head whips up and she smirks. “Thought? Are you telling me I’m right, you want to marry Cal?”
Rolling my eyes, I reach over and wrap my arms around her. “I do, Grandmother. I want to marry Cal so much. But you should suffer for meddling in our lives like this.”
“I was just trying to fix something that your parents already meddled in. They hurt you and I won’t stand for that. You’re the only family member that I can actually stand. I don’t want to lose you. And I don’t like how you came home from that school broken. If you tell me who did that, I’ll fix them too.”
Shaking my head in mock anger, I grin finally. “It’s not necessary. I talked to Cal and he already threatened to take care of him for me. It’s over and done with. I don’t need you or Cal to fight my battles for me.”
“Fine,” she snarls. “But if I find out who it is, I reserve the right to make them pay.” She draws herself up to her full five foot height and I almost choke on a laugh.
“Please don’t.”
I know that I can’t stop her but I hope she drops it. I don’t want to remember that man. Don’t want to feel those feelings again. He made me doubt myself and my intelligence. A sly smile curls my lips. Cal makes me feel strong and invincible. He wants me the way I am and I love it. I know that will never change. He’ll always have my back and I’ll have his. The way it was always meant to be.
“I’m not going to promise you that. But for now…let’s go get you the man you belong with, Valerie.”
I nod my head, the tears quickly building. I’ve waited what felt like a lifetime for this moment.
“Oh no you don’t. No crying today of all days, Valerie. After today, you’re going to have everything you want. And you’re going to take over my company. I know you’ll do something good with it.”
“I will, Grandmother. I will do all the good that I can while I work to build your business up.”
“I know you will.” Her grey eyes sparkle with tears and she smiles wickedly. “Now let’s go get you that young man that makes you smile and brings that light back into your eyes.”
I nod and she smiles before taking my arm. She holds it lightly as she walks me down the pretend aisle of the office until I’m standing beside a beaming Caleb.
I hand my flowers to my Grandmother and Caleb takes my hands and I feel that sizzle along my nerve endings just like always.
The justice reads the marriage ceremony and then he nods to us. I take a deep breath and smile at Cal. “I know that some people thought that we didn’t deserve this. Some people thought that they didn’t want us to be happy because they had their own agendas. That we were too young to know our own minds. That they knew what our futures should be.
I always knew that I was meant to be with Cal. From that first day we met until now.
I smile and repeat the vows, slipping a ring over his finger and holding my finger out to him so he can slip the ring on me.
Cal repeats his own vows and then the justice declares us husband and wife and my Grandmother throws bird seed on us and whistles loudly.
The justice smiles. “You may kiss your bride,” he tells Cal and he needs no more urging.
His soft, warm lips descend on mine and Hetty cheers like her favorite football team just won the playoffs and she won a bet. Seed rains down on us and I giggle when it pelts me in the head.
“Let’s go home, Mrs. Mercer. I’ve got plans for the rest of the night. And maybe tomorrow too. Hell, maybe all week.”
Hetty shoots us a scandalized glare and I grin at Cal’s sheepish look. “She’s got excellent hearing, Cal.”
“Sorry, Hetty.”
She shrugs and her withered cheeks bloom with color. “I guess it’s good that you want to keep my granddaughter happy. Just keep the information to yourself, Caleb.”
“Understood, Hetty.”
“Call me Grandmother.”
He flushes and grins sheepishly. “Right, Grandmother. Is it okay if I take your granddaughter now?”
She nods and shoos us out the door. “Go. Be young. I love you both. You deserve to be happy.”
“We are.” I meet his eyes and it feels like home. Like forever and all the happiness I could possibly want wrapped up in one man who holds my heart and soul in his big, calloused hands.
He holds out his hand to me and we turn to run out the door, only to stop when my parents move into the doorway.
